In my experience, apple cider vinegar is a good repellent. It is inexpensive and highly effective in the war against fleas and ticks. There are several ways that you can use apple cider vinegar (ACV). One easy way is to wipe your animal’s coat with a saturated cloth or paper towel. You can also spray ACV, diluted 50% with water, directly on your companion.

Date:   5/29/2005 2:55:46 PM ( 19 y ago)

What are some alternative flea and mosquito prevention methods that I could use on my dogs and cats? JM, Houston, TX

I have learned a lot about what to do about fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes since moving to Texas. In Colorado, I didn’t have to worry about any of these pests. However, life in Texas is a different story. I have been told that the fleas here are not the kind found in other places; they will survive almost anything and are very persistent in their desire to take a ride and have lunch on our animals. I have been searching for ways to keep these little insects off my animals. I am pleased to say that I have discovered some very good ways with which everyone is happy, except the fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes.

Once, when the fleas were really bad, I did apply ACV twice daily for three days in a row. After this, the scratching stopped, and when I ran the fleacomb through, I found no fleas. Once the fleas decided that they didn’t want to stick around any longer, I cut back to once a day, and then every other day. Now I am finding that once a week treatment with ACV is sufficient for the cats. My dog requires more frequent applications because she swims in the creek every day.

Another method of flea and tick repellent is to add a teaspoon of ACV to your companion’s drinking water every day. I tried this, but my animals, especially the cats, wouldn’t drink the water.

There are many other uses for ACV other than flea repellent. Because of its antiseptic qualities, ACV can be applied topically for hot spots, skin infections, dull coats, cuts, and wounds. It is best to use it in diluted form in these situations.

http://www.indigosun.com/august99/animal.htm

http://curezone.com/blogs/f.asp?f=179&t=53504.59


SUMMER PROBLEMS

TICKS AND FLEAS (and Sweet Itch)

A few ideas for handling these problems:

Fleas:

As told to me by Lita Radford of Pets4Homeopathy; rub normal salt into the animal’s skin. This deprives the flea of oxygen and the rubbing in of salt cuts them up so they are no longer a problem.

Fleas have a habit of hiding in longer fur and on warmer areas of a dog so look carefully at base of tail, around the neck, base of ears, inside tops of limbs.

If the dog is infested I have personally suggested the use of a cupful of washing up liquid to which you add about 2mls of Eucalyptus Oil. Wash the dog in this and rinse. Then wash again only this time, leave the mixture on for about 5 minutes if you can. Rinse with water, then do a final rinse in Vinegar which you leave on.

Take the dog out of the bath and pop it on a light coloured sheet or bed sheet and comb the through thoroughly, you should see dead fleas dropping off as you rinse it and also as you comb it.

Make up a spray of 50/50 Apple Cider Vinegar and water and use that as a daily spray.

Some people have suggested that using just washing up liquid and a Flea Comb is good enough for flea removal and as there are many ideas on how to treat, we have just given a few that have been tried and tested and hope they work for you.

I would suggest keeping a bottle of Flea/Bug bite remedy on hand to give orally 3 times a day if the fleas have irritated the dog and it is showing some allergic reaction.



http://www.caninecaregroup.net/harticles.htm


 

Popularity:   message viewed 38995 times
URL:   http://www.curezone.org/blogs/fm.asp?i=973727

<< Return to the standard message view